Karen is a hardworking and independent woman. She is the second-born in a family of four children. To make a living, Karen sells clothes in a neighborhood of the capital city of Nairobi in Kenya. In February, Karen was removing a gas cylinder from a shelf when it fell on her hand. She visited a local clinic where pain medication was prescribed, but she did not experience relief. After an x-ray, she was diagnosed with a closed fracture on her left hand and surgery was recommended. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Karen receive treatment. On March 2nd, she will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. After the procedure, she will be able to work normally with no pain. Now, AMH is requesting $1,049 to fund her procedure and care. Karen shared, "I always liked to be an independent lady. This is disturbing since I am not able to work. I request help and will be very grateful so that I can be okay again and continue with my work."

Boe is a 59-year-old Burmese woman who lives with her husband and granddaughter in a refugee camp in Thailand. She and her husband used to work as day laborers, but unfortunately, they have not been able to leave the camp for work since April 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Their family relies on a monthly cash card they receive from a local organization called The Border Consortium. On February 4th, Boe was buying snacks at a shop in the refugee camp. While she was standing in front of the shop on the road, a motorcycle ran her over, fracturing her left knee. Currently, Boe experiences pain in her leg and cannot put any weight on her left foot. Her left knee is swollen and she has to take pain medication to sleep at night. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Boe will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for February 8th. Once recovered, Boe will be able to walk again and will no longer experience pain. Now, Boe needs help raising $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. Boe shared, "I am very scared to have surgery but the doctor told me that I will not be able to walk again if I do not receive it. So I agree with the doctor's plan. I am happy to hear that there will be donors to pay for my treatment. Without donors I could never afford to receive surgery."

Benson is a twin two-year-old. His mom shared that Benson is a playful boy but a little shy and quiet compared to his twin brother who is more social and more talkative. Benson’s mother makes a living doing other people’s laundry while his father is a public transport driver commonly known as a “daladala” driver in Tanzania. Their income is not enough to provide for the family's needs and still cover Benson’s needed treatment cost. They are asking for help to support his medical care. Benson was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus. He and his brother were born healthy babies and their growth has been on track until they learned to walk. Benson’s mother started to notice that his legs were not straight as he started to crawl. He took a long time to learn to stand and walk compared to his twin. When he got on his feet and walked, his mother noticed that his legs were bowed outwards. Benson's mother had never taken him to any hospital for help or treatment, she thought he would eventually grow out of it but that has not been the case. His condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, his legs keep bowing outwards, making walking more difficult. One of Benson’s father’s friends advised his parents to seek treatment for him. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Benson. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 7th. Treatment will hopefully restore Benson's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Benson’s mother says, “I would love to see Benson walking normally like his brother but the treatment cost is too high for us.”

Naomi is an energetic but shy 4-year-old She is the fifth born in a family of six children. Naomi's parents do farm work growing some maize, beans, and cassava for food. When the harvest is good they sell the extra for an income. Her mother also sells some vegetables in the market. What they earn is not enough to cover the cost of treatment that their daughter needs. Naomi was diagnosed with genu valgus, where her legs bow inwards. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, She cannot walk easily and without pain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Naomi. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 3rd. Treatment will hopefully restore Naomi's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Naomi’s mother says, “I would really like for my daughter to walk without having pain. Please help us be able to get her this surgery.”

Samuel is a shy and cautious 18-month-old boy. He is the youngest child in a family of two children. His older sibling is 13 years old and a student in primary school. His mother is a housewife, while his father is a teacher at a local primary school. In April 2020, immediately after he was born, Samuel was unable to pass stool and was admitted to a local health facility for further evaluation. Since then, he has visited the hospital often for follow-up and has had several procedures to improve his condition. However, he is still unable to pass stool and needs ileostomy surgery to treat his condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Samuel to receive treatment. On November 4th, doctors will perform a colostomy procedure and bring Samuel's intestine through his abdomen to form a stoma. This will allow Samuel to pass stool. Now, Samuel's family needs help raising $1,152 to fund his procedure and care. Samuel father shared, "our kid is straining a lot. His life is in danger if not attended to."

Sitha is a 40-year-old car mechanic. He's been married for four years and lives in the city with his wife. In addition to repairing cars, Sitha works in a garment factory. In his free time, he enjoys playing football, listening to music, and fishing. Two years ago, Sitha was in a motor vehicle accident that caused paralysis of his left shoulder. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He is unable to lift his left arm and he hasn't been able to work. Sitha traveled to visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) to receive treatment. On September 9th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he will be able to use his left arm again. Now, CSC is requesting $696 to fund this procedure. Sitha shared, "I really hope I can regain full function of my left arm and be independent again."

Ar is a 28-year-old man who lives with his wife, three sons, and two daughters in a refugee camp. Originally from Burma, his family fled to Thailand 20 years ago due to civil war. His children attend school, except for his youngest daughter, who is not yet old enough. His wife is a homemaker and Ar works as a day laborer when work is available. Ar's family shared that, in addition to his day laborer pay, they receive a monthly cash card from The Border Consortium to purchase food in the refugee camp. Overall, the family's total monthly income is just enough to cover their basic needs. On September 2nd, Ar climbed a tamarind tree to pick tamarinds fruit. When the branch he was standing on suddenly broke, he fell and landed on his right arm and experienced pain in his back. He visited the camp hospital that day, and the medic initially determined that his arm was not broken. Due to recent positive COVID-19 cases in the refugee camp, Ar could not be immediately referred to the local hospital for further testing and was kept for observation at the camp hospital. When the pain in Ar's back and arm did not subside the next day, the medic referred Ar to the local hospital. After receiving a negative COVID-19 test, Ar was finally able to visit the hospital on September 6th, where he received an X-ray for his arm and a blood test for a second COVID-19 test. The X-ray revealed that his upper right arm is broken. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Ar will undergo surgery on September 8th to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure will enable Ar to continue working in the future. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Ar shared, "I am scared to receive surgery. But I was told that I will not be able to work using my right arm if I do not receive surgery, so I gave my consent to the doctor. I hope that I will be able to work again after I receive treatment."

Grace is a beautiful, charming, and smiley 15-month-old baby. Grace's parents are small scale farmers and have one other child. They grow and sell maize and vegetables. Grace's mother sells fresh vegetables to her surrounding neighbors to make a living while, her father works at a carwash to support their family. Grace has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Grace has been experiencing vomiting and high fevers. Without treatment, Grace will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,300 to cover the cost of surgery for Grace that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 9th and will drain the excess fluid from Grace's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Grace should grow and develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Grace’s mother says, "Our baby is usually very active and playful but as days go by, her condition worsens, causing her weakness, vomiting and high fevers. Please help us."

Richard is four year old boy and the third born in a family of four children. He has not yet started school and enjoys looking after his father's cattle alongside his siblings. Richard's parents are small-scale farmers who grow maize, beans, and vegetables for their own consumption and they also have a few cattle for milk. Since he was a baby, Richard has had an inguinal hernia, a condition in which soft tissue protrudes through a weak place in the abdominal muscles. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Richard to receive treatment. On July 4th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at AMH's care center. Now, AMH is requesting $566 to fund Richard's surgery and once complete, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Richard’s mother shared, "if my son is able to get this treatment it will help stop the suffering he is going through especially this cold season."

Samuel is a 25-year-old motorbike taxi driver from Kenya. His father is a carpenter and his mother runs a greengrocery in their hometown. On May 8th, Samuel was in a traffic accident that caused a serious fracture to his left ankle. Samuel is unable to walk on his own and is currently using crutches. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On June 8th, Samuel will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again. Now, AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Samuel shared, “I am in pain and cannot walk without the help of the crutches. The doctor said if I don’t get the surgery my leg will not be okay and can't work.”

Dara is a 55-year-old engineer. He's married and lives with his wife who works in the home. Dara used to work from morning until night, but now his deteriorating vision prevents him from working as much. Currently, he works half days and spends his free time listening to the news on the radio and spending time at his neighbor's house. Five years ago, Dara developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him sensitivity to light, blurry vision, and itchiness. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Dara learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled there with a friend seeking treatment. On April 28th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $229 procedure. Dara shared, "I hope after surgery I can regain my independence and return to working full time as an engineer."

Sut is a 30-year-old who lives with his family in a refugee camp. His mother is a shop vendor who sells snacks in front of their home. Sut and his brother-in-law used to work as agriculture day laborers, but can no longer leave the camp to find work since the camp is on lockdown after the outbreak of COVID-19. Since then, Sut has been helping out with household chores and looks after his nephew. The income they receive from selling snacks in addition to the food card they receive from a support organization is just enough to cover their daily needs. He and his family receive free basic health care in the camp. Since April 2020, Sut has had an inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him pain in the right side of his groin and he feels a burning sensation when he urinates. If he walks for a longer period of time, he will experience pain in the right side of his groin. Occasionally, when the pain worsens, he is not able to help out with household chores. Fortunately, on April 29th, Sut will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Sut's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 29th and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Sut shared, "Sometimes I experience such severe pain that I cannot bear it anymore. I cannot do anything and I cannot help my family with anything due to my condition. My wife left me because of my condition and I do not have anyone that can help me. When I learned that a donor could help pay for my surgery, I felt like they had saved me from death."